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In the eyes of God the earth was corrupt and full of
lawlessness. When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since
all mortals led depraved lives on earth, he said to Noah: "I
have decided to put an end to all mortals on earth; the earth is
full of lawlessness because of them. So I will destroy them and
all life on earth." [GEN 6:11-13]

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria,
and deported the Israelites to Assyria, settling them in Halah, at
the Habor, a river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. This
came about because the Israelites sinned against the LORD, their
God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under
the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and because they
venerated other gods. They followed the rites of the nations whom
the LORD had cleared out of the way of the Israelites (and the
kings of Israel whom they set up). They adopted unlawful practices
toward the LORD, their God. They built high places in all their
settlements, the watchtowers as well as the walled cities. [2KGS
17:6-9]

But Judas said: "It is easy for many to be overcome by a
few; in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between
deliverance by many or by few; for victory in war does not depend
upon the size of the army, but on strength that comes from Heaven.
With great presumption and lawlessness they come against us to
destroy us and our wives and children and to despoil us; but we
are fighting for our lives and our laws. He himself will crush
them before us; so do not be afraid of them." [1MACC 3:18-22]

Then all the lawless and impious men of Israel came to him.
They were led by Alcimus, who desired to be high priest. They made
this accusation to the king against the people: "Judas and
his brothers have destroyed all your friends and have driven us
out of our country. So now, send a man whom you trust to go and
see all the havoc Judas has done to us and to the king's land, and
let him punish them and all their supporters." [1MACC 7:5-7]

[Simon] strengthened all the lowly among his people and was zealous
for the law; he suppressed all the lawless and the wicked. [Taken
from 1MACC
14:14]

The craze for Hellenism and foreign customs reached such a
pitch, through the outrageous wickedness of the ungodly
pseudo-high-priest Jason, that the priests no longer cared about
the service of the altar...they hastened, at the signal for the
discus-throwing, to take part in the unlawful exercises on the
athletic field. [Taken from 2MACC 4:13-14]

But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement...[Eleazar]
went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture, as
men ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it
is unlawful to taste even for love of life. [Taken from 2MACC 6:19-20]

Maccabeus assembled his men, six thousand strong, and exhorted
them not to be panic-stricken before the enemy, nor to fear the
large number of the Gentiles attacking them unjustly, but to fight
courageously, keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage
perpetrated by the Gentiles against the holy Place and the
affliction of the humiliated city, as well as the subversion of
their ancestral way of life. "They trust in weapons and acts
of daring," he said, "but we trust in almighty God, who
can by a mere nod destroy not only those who attack us, but the
whole world." [2MACC 8:16-18]

This is the fate of everyone greedy of loot: unlawful gain
takes away the life of him who acquires it. [PROV 1:19]

Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways: To the LORD the perverse man is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship.
[PROV 3:31-32]

A lawless man allures his neighbor, and leads him into a way
that is not good. [PROV 16:29]

Those who abandon the law praise the wicked man, but those who
keep the law war against him. [PROV 28:4]

But the children of adulterers will remain without issue, and
the progeny of an unlawful bed will disappear. [WISDOM 3:16]

For children born of lawless unions give evidence of the
wickedness of their parents, when they are examined. [WISDOM 4:6]

Fearful shall [the wicked] come, at the counting up of their sins, and
their lawless deeds shall convict them to their face. [Taken from
WISDOM
4:20]

A mighty wind shall confront them and a tempest winnow them
out; Thus lawlessness shall lay the whole earth waste and
evildoing overturn the thrones of potentates. [WISDOM 5:23]

For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and
extremity of all evil. For they either go mad with enjoyment, or
prophesy lies, or live lawlessly or lightly forswear themselves.
For as their trust is in soulless idols, they expect no harm when
they have sworn falsely. But on both counts shall justice overtake
them: because they thought ill of God and devoted themselves to
idols, and because they deliberately swore false oaths, despising
piety.
[WISDOM 14:27-30]

For a man made them; one whose spirit has been lent him
fashioned them. For no man succeeds in fashioning a god like
himself; being mortal, he makes a dead thing with his lawless
hands. For he is better than the things he worships; he at least
lives, but never they. [WISDOM 15:16-17]

For when the lawless thought to enslave the holy nation,
shackled with darkness, fettered by the long night, they lay
confined beneath their own roofs as exiles from the eternal
providence. [WISDOM 17:2]

Tainted his gifts who offers in sacrifice ill-gotten goods!
Mock presents from the lawless win not God's favor. [SIRACH 34:18]

I will not look upon you with pity nor have mercy; I will deal
with you according to your conduct, and the consequences of your
abominations shall be in your midst; then shall you know that it
is I, the LORD, who strike. See, the day of the LORD! See, the end
is coming! Lawlessness is in full bloom, insolence flourishes,
violence has risen to support wickedness. It shall not be long in
coming, nor shall it delay. [EZEK 7:9-11]

He answered me: The sins of the house of Israel are great
beyond measure; the land is filled with bloodshed, the city with
lawlessness. They think that the LORD has forsaken the land, that
he does not see them. I, however, will not look upon them with
pity, nor show any mercy. I will bring down their conduct upon
their heads. [EZEK 9:9-10]

Your commandments we have not heeded or observed, nor have we
done as you ordered us for our good. Therefore all you have
brought upon us, all you have done to us, you have done by a
proper judgment. You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless
and hateful rebels; to an unjust king, the worst in all the world.
Now we cannot open our mouths; we, your servants, who revere you,
have become a shame and a reproach. [DAN 3:30-33]

Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel, for the LORD has
a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: There is no
fidelity, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land. False
swearing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery! in their
lawlessness, bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land
mourns, and everything that dwells in it languishes [Taken from
HOSEA 4:1-3]

[Jesus said,] "But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the
marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever
marries a divorced woman commits adultery." [Taken from MT 5:32]

At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the
sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of
grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
"See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the
sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David
did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the
house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor
his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have
you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in
the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you,
something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this
meant, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have
condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the
sabbath." [MT 12:1-8]

Now Herod had arrested John, bound (him), and put him in prison
on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John
had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they
regarded him as a prophet. [MT 14:3-5]

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned,
deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces
of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have
sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is
that to us? Look to it yourself." Flinging the money into the
temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief
priests gathered up the money, but said, "It is not lawful to
deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of
blood." After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's
field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field
even today is called the Field of Blood. [MT 27:3-8]

As he was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his
disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing
what is unlawful on the sabbath?" He said to them, "Have
you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his
companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when
Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only
the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his
companions?" Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made
for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is
lord even of the sabbath." [MK 2:23-28]

You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean
was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and
signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you
yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and
foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify
him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of
death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it. [ACTS
2:22-24]

While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people
gathered together and said to them, "You know that it is
unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile,
but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or
unclean." [ACTS 10:27-28]

It is my judgment, therefore, that we ought to stop troubling
the Gentiles who turn to God, but tell them by letter to avoid
pollution from idols, unlawful marriage... [Taken from ACTS 15:19-20]

"'It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
[including]...to abstain... from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right.
Farewell.'" [Taken
from ACTS 15:28-29]

When her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they
seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the public square before
the local authorities. They brought them before the magistrates
and said, "These people are Jews and are disturbing our city
and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us Romans to
adopt or practice." The crowd joined in the attack on them,
and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be
beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw
them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely.
[ACTS 16:19-23]

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your
nature. For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as
slaves to impurity and to lawlessness for lawlessness, so now
present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification. [ROM
6:19]

Do not be yoked with those who are different, with unbelievers.
For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or
what fellowship does light have with darkness? What accord has
Christ with Beliar? Or what has a believer in common with an
unbeliever? [2COR 6:14-15]

We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of
your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a
"spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter
allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at
hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy
comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one doomed to
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called
god and object of worship, so as to seat himself in the temple of
God, claiming that he is a god - do you not recall that while I
was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what
is restraining, that he may be revealed in his time. For the
mystery of lawlessness is already at work. But the one who
restrains is to do so only for the present, until he is removed
from the scene. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom
the Lord (Jesus) will kill with the breath of his mouth and render
powerless by the manifestation of his coming, the one whose coming
springs from the power of Satan in every mighty deed and in signs
and wonders that lie, and in every wicked deceit for those who are
perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth so that
they may be saved. Therefore, God is sending them a deceiving
power so that they may believe the lie, that all who have not
believed the truth but have approved wrongdoing may be condemned.
But we ought to give thanks to God for you always, brothers loved
by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits for
salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in
truth. To this end he has (also) called you through our gospel to
possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers,
stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,
either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. [2THES 2:1-15]

We know that the law is good, provided that one uses it as law,
with the understanding that law is meant not for a righteous
person but for the lawless and unruly, the godless and sinful, the
unholy and profane, those who kill their fathers or mothers,
murderers, the unchaste, practicing homosexuals, kidnapers, liars,
perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I
have been entrusted. [1TM 1:8-11]

For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us
to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live
temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the
blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of
our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us
from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his
own, eager to do what is good. [TI 2:11-14]

For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but
condemned them to the chains of Tartarus and handed them over to
be kept for judgment; and if he did not spare the ancient world,
even though he preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, together
with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the godless world;
and if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (to
destruction), reducing them to ashes, making them an example for
the godless (people) of what is coming; and if he rescued Lot, a
righteous man oppressed by the licentious conduct of unprincipled
people (for day after day that righteous man living among them was
tormented in his righteous soul at the lawless deeds that he saw
and heard), then the Lord knows how to rescue the devout from
trial and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of
judgment, and especially those who follow the flesh with its
depraved desire and show contempt for lordship. [Taken from 2PT 2:4-10]

"You shall not
degrade your daughter by making a prostitute of her; else the land
will become corrupt and full of lewdness." [LEV 19:29]

You played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful
neighbors, so many times that I was provoked to anger. Therefore I
stretched out my hand against you, I diminished your allowance and
delivered you over to the will of your enemies, the Philistines,
who revolted at your lewd conduct. [EZEK 16:26-27]

Because you did not remember what happened when you were a
girl, but enraged me with all these things, therefore in return I
am bringing down your conduct upon your head, says the Lord GOD.
For did you not add lewdness to the rest of your abominable deeds?
[EZEK 16:43]

The penalty of your lewdness and your abominations - you must
bear it all, says the LORD. For thus speaks the Lord GOD: I will
deal with you according to what you have done, you who despised
your oath, breaking a covenant. [Taken from EZEK 16:58-59]

What is holy to me you have spurned, and my sabbaths you have
desecrated. There are those in you who slander to cause bloodshed;
within you are those who feast on the mountains; in your midst are
those who do lewd things. [Taken from EZEK 22:8-9]

Her harlotry was discovered and her shame was revealed, and I
became disgusted with her as I had become disgusted with her
sister. But she played the harlot all the more, recalling the days
of her girlhood, when she had been a harlot in the land of
Egypt... You yearned for the lewdness of your girlhood...
Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: I will now stir up
your lovers against you, those with whom you are disgusted, and I
will bring them against you from every side [Taken from EZEK
23:18-19,21-22]

I will put an end to your lewdness and to the harlotry you
began in Egypt; you shall no longer look toward it, nor shall you
remember Egypt again. For thus says the Lord GOD: I am now handing
you over to those whom you hate, to those who fill you with
disgust. They shall deal with you in hatred, seizing all that you
have worked for and leaving you stark naked, so that your indecent
nakedness is exposed. Your lewdness and harlotry have brought
these things upon you, because you played the harlot with the
nations by defiling yourself with their idols. Because you
followed in the path of your sister, I will hand you her cup. Thus
says the Lord GOD: The cup of your sister you shall drink, so wide
and deep, which holds so much, Filled with destruction and grief,
a cup of dismay, the cup of your sister... Therefore thus says the
Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your
back, it is for you to bear the penalty of your lewdness and harlotry.
[Taken from EZEK 23:27-33,35]

You sat on a couch prepared for them, with a table spread
before it, on which you had set my incense and oil. Then was heard
the shout of a carefree mob in the city, and these were men
brought in from the desert, who put bracelets on the women's arms
and splendid diadems on their heads. So I said: "Oh, this
woman jaded with adulteries! Now they will commit whoredom with
her, and as for her..." And indeed they did come to her as
men come to a harlot. Thus they came to Oholah and Oholibah, the
lewd women. But just men shall punish them with the sentence meted
out to adulteresses and murderesses, for they have committed
adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus says the Lord GOD:
Summon an assembly against them, and deliver them over to terror
and plunder. Thus I will put an end to lewdness in the land, and
all the women will be warned not to imitate your lewdness. They
shall inflict on you the penalty of your lewdness, and you shall
pay for your sins of idolatry. Thus you shall know that I am the
LORD. [Taken from EZEK 23:41-46,48-49]

Because you have sullied yourself with lewdness when I would
have purified you, and you refused to be purified of your
uncleanness, therefore you shall not be purified until I wreak my
fury on you. I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming, for I will
bring it about without fail. I will not have pity nor repent. By
your conduct and your deeds you shall be judged, says the Lord
GOD. [Taken from EZEK 24:13-14]

For the leader;
according to "Lilies." A maskil of the Korahites. A love
song. [PS 45:1]

For the leader; according to "Lilies." Of David. [PS
69:1]

For the leader; according to "Lilies." Eduth. A psalm
of Asaph. [PS 80:1]

I am a flower of Sharon, a lily of the valley. As a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among women.
[Taken from SONG 2:2]

My lover belongs to me and I to him; he browses among the
lilies. [SONG 2:16]

Your lips are like a scarlet strand; your mouth is lovely. Your
cheek is like a half-pomegranate behind your veil. Your neck is
like David's tower girt with battlements; A thousand bucklers hang
upon it, all the shields of valiant men. Your breasts are like
twin fawns, the young of a gazelle that browse among the lilies.
Until the day breathes cool and the shadows lengthen, I will go to
the mountain of myrrh, to the hill of incense. You are
all-beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you. [Taken
from SONG 4:3-7]

Where has your lover gone, O most beautiful among women? Where
has your lover gone that we may seek him with you? My lover has
come down to his garden, to the beds of spice, To browse in the
garden and to gather lilies. My lover belongs to me and I to him;
he browses among the lilies. [Taken from SONG 6:1-3]

How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O prince's daughter!
Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the handiwork of an artist.
Your navel is a round bowl that should never lack for mixed wine.
Your body is a heap of wheat encircled with lilies. [Taken from
SONG 7:2-3]

Once more I will set forth my theme to shine like the moon in
its fullness! Listen, my faithful children: open up your petals,
like roses planted near running waters; Send up the sweet odor of
incense, break forth in blossoms like the lily. Send up the sweet
odor of your hymn of praise; bless the LORD for all he has done!
Proclaim the greatness of his name, loudly sing his praises, With
music on the harp and all stringed instruments; sing out with joy
as you proclaim: The works of God are all of them good; in its own
time every need is supplied. At his word the waters become still
as in a flask; he had but to speak and the reservoirs were made.
He has but to command and his will is done; nothing can limit his
achievement. The works of all mankind are present to him; not a
thing escapes his eye. His gaze spans all the ages; to him there
is nothing unexpected. [Taken from SIRACH 39:12-20]

The greatest among his brethren, the glory of his people, was
Simon the priest, son of Jochanan, In whose time the house of God
was renovated, in whose days the temple was reinforced. In his
time also the wall was built with powerful turrets for the temple
precincts; In his time the reservoir was dug, the pool with a
vastness like the sea's. He protected his people against brigands
and strengthened his city against the enemy. How splendid he was
as he appeared from the tent, as he came from within the veil!
Like a star shining among the clouds, like the full moon at the
holyday season; Like the sun shining upon the temple, like the
rainbow appearing in the cloudy sky; Like the blossoms on the
branches in springtime, like a lily on the banks of a
stream...Vested in his magnificent robes, and wearing his garments
of splendor, As he ascended the glorious altar and lent majesty to
the court of the sanctuary. [Taken from SIRACH 50:1-8,11]

I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my
wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the
Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be
like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall
blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of
Lebanon. [Taken from HOSEA 14:5-8]

After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning,
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And
behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat
upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was
white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became
like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do
not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He
is not here, for he has been raised just as he said." [Taken
from MT 28:1-6]

When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of
James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint
him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the
week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another,
"Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the
tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been
rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a
young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and
they were utterly amazed. He said to them, "Do not be amazed!
You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he
is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell
his disciples and Peter, 'He is going before you to Galilee; there
you will see him, as he told you.'" [MK 16:1-7]

When he had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. [MK
16:9-11]

But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the
spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the
stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did
not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over
this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They
were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to
them, "Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is
not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you
while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed
over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day."
And they remembered his words. [LK 24:1-8]

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb
early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone
removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to
the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They
have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they
put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came
to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than
Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the
burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived
after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there,
and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial
cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple
also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he
saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture
that he had to rise from the dead. [JN 20:1-9]

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors
were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be
with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands
and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
(Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father
has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he
breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you
retain are retained." [JN 20:19-23]

On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread,
Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day,
and he kept on speaking until midnight. [ACTS 20:7]

On the first day of the week each of you should set aside and
save whatever one can afford, so that collections will not be
going on when I come. [1COR 16:2]

I was caught up in spirit on the Lord's day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
"Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven
churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis,
Philadelphia, and Laodicea." Then I turned to see whose voice
it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold
lampstands and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of
man, wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his
chest. The hair of his head was as white as white wool or as snow,
and his eyes were like a fiery flame. [RV 1:10-14]

About that time
Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham: "God is with you in everything you do. Therefore, swear to me by God at this place that you will not deal falsely with me or with my progeny and posterity, but will act as loyally toward me and the land in which you stay as I have acted toward you." To this Abraham replied, "I so swear."
[GEN 21:22-24]

"If, therefore, you have in mind to show true loyalty to my master, let me know; but if not, let me know that, too. I can then proceed accordingly." Laban and his household said in reply: "This thing comes from the LORD; we can say nothing to you either for or against it."
[GEN 24:49-50]

Then he prayed: "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac! You told me, O LORD, 'Go back to the land of your birth, and I will be good to you.' I am unworthy of all the acts of kindness that you have loyally performed for your servant: although I crossed the Jordan here with nothing but my staff, I have now grown into two companies. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau!"
[Taken from GEN 32:10-12]

When the time approached for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him: "If you really wish to please me, put your hand under my thigh as a sign of your constant loyalty to me; do not let me be buried in Egypt. When I lie down with my ancestors, have me taken out of Egypt and buried in their burial place." "I will do as you say," he replied. But his father demanded, "Swear it to me!" So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed at the head of the bed.
[GEN 47:29-31]

You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you, You forgot the God who gave you birth. When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing and anger toward his sons and daughters.
"I will hide my face from them," he said, "and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are, sons with no loyalty in them!" [DEUT
32:18-20]

I was forty years old when the servant of the LORD, Moses, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to reconnoiter the land; and I brought back to him a conscientious report. My fellow scouts who went up with me discouraged the people, but I was completely loyal to the LORD, my God. On that occasion Moses swore this oath, 'The land where you have set foot shall become your heritage and that of your descendants forever, because you have been completely loyal to the LORD, my God.'
[JOSH 14:7-9]

Joshua blessed Caleb, son of Jephunneh, and gave him Hebron as his heritage. Therefore Hebron remains the heritage of the Kenizzite Caleb, son of Jephunneh, to the present day, because he was completely loyal to the LORD, the God of Israel. [JOSH
14:13-14]

But be very careful to observe the precept and law which Moses,
the servant of the LORD, enjoined upon you: love the LORD, your
God; follow him faithfully; keep his commandments; remain loyal to
him; and serve him with your whole heart and soul. [JOSH 22:5]

Therefore strive hard to observe and carry out all that is
written in the book of the law of Moses, not straying from it in
any way, or mingling with these nations while they survive among
you. You must not invoke their gods, or swear by them, or serve
them, or worship them, but you must remain loyal to the LORD, your
God, as you have been to this day. At your approach the LORD has
driven out large and strong nations, and to this day no one has
withstood you. One of you puts to flight a thousand, because it is
the LORD, your God, himself who fights for you, as he promised
you. Take great care, however, to love the LORD, your God. For if
you ever abandon him and ally yourselves with the remnant of these
nations while they survive among you... know for certain that the
LORD, your God, will no longer drive these nations out of your
way. Instead they will be a snare and a trap for you... [Taken
from JOSH 23:6-13]

He said, "May the LORD bless you, my daughter! You have been even more loyal now than before in not going after the young men, whether poor or rich. So be assured, daughter, I will do for you whatever you say; all my townspeople know you for a worthy woman."
[RUTH 3:10-11]

Ahimelech answered the king: "And who among all your
servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of
your bodyguard, and honored in your own house?" [1SAM 22:14]

After this Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and
fifty henchmen. Moreover, Absalom used to rise early and stand
alongside the road leading to the gate. If someone had a lawsuit
to be decided by the king, Absalom would call to him and say,
"From what city are you?" And when he replied,
"Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel,"
Absalom would say to him, "Your suit is good and just, but
there is no one to hear you in the king's name." And he would
continue: "If only I could be appointed judge in the land!
Then everyone who has a lawsuit to be decided might come to me and
I would render him justice." Whenever a man approached him to
show homage, he would extend his hand, hold him, and kiss him. By
behaving in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the
king for judgment, Absalom was stealing away the loyalties of the
men of Israel. [2SAM 15:1-6]

An informant came to David with the report, "The Israelites have transferred their loyalty to Absalom." At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: "Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword."
[2SAM 15:13-14]

Now a rebellious individual from Benjamin named Sheba, the son of Bichri, happened to be there. He sounded the horn
and cried out, "We have no portion in David, nor any share in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tent, O Israel!" So all the Israelites left David for Sheba, son of Bichri. But from the Jordan to Jerusalem the Judahites remained loyal to their king.
[2SAM 20:1-2]

"The LORD rewarded me according to my justice; according to the cleanness of my hands he requited me. For I kept the ways of the LORD and was not disloyal to my God. For his ordinances were all present to me, and his statutes I put not from me; But I was wholehearted toward him, and I was on my guard against guilt."
[2SAM 22:21-24]

When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned
him to an assembly and made him king over all Israel. None
remained loyal to David's house except the tribe of Judah alone.
[1KGS 12:20]

Loyal to the LORD, Hezekiah never turned away from him, but
observed the commandments which the LORD had given Moses. [2KGS
18:6]

For God, the ruler of all, has turned that day for them from one of destruction of the chosen race into one of joy. Therefore, you too must celebrate this memorable day among your designated feasts with all rejoicing, so that both now and in the future it may be, for us and for loyal Persians, a celebration of victory, and for those who plot against us a reminder of destruction.
[ESTH E:21-23]

When the Jewish people saw Simon's loyalty and the glory he
planned to bring to his nation, they made him their leader and
high priest because of all he had accomplished and the loyalty and
justice he had shown his nation. In every way he sought to exalt
his people. [1MACC 14:35]

But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years,
the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his
gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood;
and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy
laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode
of the dead, explaining: "At our age it would be unbecoming
to make such a pretense; many young men would think the
ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion. Should
I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they
would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor
on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment
of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of
the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will
prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a
noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the
revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and went immediately
to the instrument of torture. Those who shortly before had been
kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had
said seemed to them utter madness. When he was about to die under
the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord in his holy
knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped
death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this
scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my
devotion to him." This is how he died, leaving in his death a
model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only
for the young but for the whole nation. [2MACC 6:23-31]

Help, LORD, for no one loyal remains; the faithful have
vanished from the human race [PS 12:2]

The LORD acknowledged my righteousness, rewarded my clean hands. For I kept the ways of the LORD; I was not disloyal to my God. His laws were all before me, his decrees I did not cast aside. I was honest toward him; I was on guard against sin.
[PS 18:21-24]

Love the LORD, all you faithful. The LORD protects the loyal,
but repays the arrogant in full. [PS 31:24]

The LORD redeems loyal servants; no one is condemned whose
refuge is God. [PS 34:23]

Put to shame and confound all who relish my misfortune. Clothe with shame and disgrace those who lord it over me. But let those who favor my just cause shout for joy and be glad.
May they ever say, "Exalted be the LORD who delights in the peace of his loyal servant." Then my tongue shall recount your justice, declare your praise, all the day long.
[PS 35:26-28]

I announced your deed to a great assembly; I did not restrain my lips; you, LORD, are my witness. Your deed I did not hide within my heart; your loyal deliverance I have proclaimed.
I made no secret of your enduring kindness to a great assembly. [PS
40:10-11]

All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, nor been disloyal to your covenant. Our hearts have not turned back, nor have our steps strayed from your path.
[PS 44:18-19]

I will listen for the word of God; surely the LORD will proclaim peace
To his people, to the faithful, to those who trust in him. Near indeed is salvation for the loyal; prosperity will fill our land.
[PS 85:9-10]

Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and oppressed. Preserve my life, for I am loyal; save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; pity me, Lord; to you I call all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant; to you, Lord, I lift up my soul. Lord, you are kind and forgiving, most loving to all who call on you. LORD, hear my prayer; listen to my cry for help. In this time of trouble I call, for you will answer me.
[PS 86:1-7]

The promises of the LORD I will sing forever, proclaim your loyalty through all ages. For you said, "My love is established forever; my loyalty will stand as long as the heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: I will make your dynasty stand forever and establish your throne through all ages."
[Taken from PS 89:2-5]

Justice and judgment are the foundation of your throne; love and loyalty march before you. Happy the people who know you, LORD, who walk in the radiance of your face.
[PS 89:15-16]

Once you spoke in vision; to your faithful ones you said:
"I have set a leader over the warriors; I have raised up a
hero from the army. I have chosen David, my servant; with my holy
oil I have anointed him. My hand will be with him; my arm will
make him strong. No enemy shall outwit him, nor shall the wicked
defeat him. I will crush his foes before him, strike down those
who hate him. My loyalty and love will be with him; through my
name his horn will be exalted. Forever I will maintain my love for
him; my covenant with him stands firm. I will establish his
dynasty forever, his throne as the days of the heavens. If his
descendants forsake my law, do not follow my decrees, If they fail
to observe my statutes, do not keep my commandments, I will punish
their crime with a rod and their guilt with lashes. But I will not
take my love from him, nor will I betray my bond of loyalty. I
will not violate my covenant; the promise of my lips I will not
alter." [PS 89:20-25,29-35]

Where are your promises of old, Lord, the loyalty sworn to David?
Remember, Lord, the insults to your servants, how I bear all the slanders of the nations. Your enemies, LORD, insult your anointed; they insult my every endeavor. Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen!
[PS 89:50-53]

You won renown for your wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful
is the LORD. You gave food to those who fear you, mindful of your
covenant forever. You showed powerful deeds to your people, giving
them the lands of the nations. The works of your hands are right
and true, reliable all your decrees, Established forever and ever,
to be observed with loyalty and care. You sent deliverance to your
people, ratified your covenant forever; holy and awesome is your
name. [PS 111:4-9]

Make me understand the way of your precepts; I will ponder your
wondrous deeds. I weep in bitter pain; in accord with your word to
strengthen me. Lead me from the way of deceit; favor me with your
teaching. The way of loyalty I have chosen; I have set your edicts
before me. I cling to your decrees, LORD; do not let me come to
shame. I will run the way of your commands, for you open my docile
heart. [PS 119:27-32]

Some friends bring ruin on us, but a true friend is more loyal
than a brother. [PROV 18:24]

For fear of the LORD is wisdom and culture; loyal humility is
his delight. [SIRACH 1:24]

If you choose you can keep the commandments; it is loyalty to do his will. There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, whichever he chooses shall be given him.
[SIRACH 15:15-17]

Say not: "I am hidden from God; in heaven who remembers
me? Among so many people I cannot be known; what am I in the world
of spirits? Behold, the heavens, the heaven of heavens, the earth
and the abyss tremble at his visitation; The roots of the
mountains, the earth's foundations, at his mere glance, quiver and
quake. Of me, therefore, he will take no thought; with my ways who
will concern himself? If I sin, no eye will see me; if all in
secret I am disloyal, who is to know? Who tells him of just deeds
and what could I expect for doing my duty?" Such are the
thoughts of senseless men, which only the foolish knave will
think. [SIRACH 16:15-21]

All that comes from bribes or injustice will be wiped out, but
loyalty remains for ages. [SIRACH 40:12]

My children, heed my instruction about shame; judge of disgrace
only according to my rules, For it is not always well to be
ashamed, nor is it always the proper thing to blush: Before father
and mother be ashamed of immorality, before master and mistress,
of falsehood; Before friend and companion, of disloyalty, and of
breaking an oath or agreement. Be ashamed of theft from the people
where you settle, and of stretching out your elbow when you dine;
Of refusing to give when asked, of defrauding another of his
appointed share, Of failing to return a greeting, and of rebuffing
a friend; Of gazing at a married woman, and of entertaining
thoughts about another's wife... Of using harsh words with
friends, and of following up your gifts with insults; Of repeating
what you hear, and of betraying secrets - These are the
things you should rightly avoid as shameful if you would be looked
upon by everyone with favor. [Taken from SIRACH 41:14-15,17-24]

Abraham, father of many peoples, kept his glory without stain: He observed the precepts of the Most High, and entered into an agreement with him;
In his own flesh he incised the ordinance, and when tested he was found loyal. For this reason, God promised him with an oath that in his descendants the nations would be blessed,
That he would make him numerous as the grains of dust, and exalt his posterity like the stars;
That he would give them an inheritance from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
[SIRACH 44:19-21]

Valiant leader was Joshua, son of Nun, assistant to Moses in
the prophetic office, Formed to be, as his name implies, the great
savior of God's chosen ones, To punish the enemy and to win the
inheritance for Israel. What glory was his when he raised his arm,
to brandish his javelin against the city! And who could withstand
him when he fought the battles of the LORD? Did he not by his
power stop the sun, so that one day became two? He called upon the
Most High God when his enemies beset him on all sides, And God
Most High gave answer to him in hailstones of tremendous power,
Which he rained down upon the hostile army till on the slope he
destroyed the foe; That all the doomed nations might know that the
LORD was watching over his people's battles. And because he was a
devoted follower of God and in Moses' lifetime showed himself
loyal, He and CALEB, son of Jephunneh, when they opposed the rebel
assembly, Averted God's anger from the people and suppressed the
wicked complaint - Because of this, they were the only two spared
from the six hundred thousand infantry, To lead the people into
their inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey. And the
strength he gave to Caleb remained with him even in his old age
Till he won his way onto the summits of the land; his family too
received an inheritance, That all the people of Jacob might know
how good it is to be a devoted follower of the LORD. [SIRACH 46:1-10]

The favors of the LORD I will recall, the glorious deeds of the
LORD, Because of all he has done for us; for he is good to the
house of Israel, He has favored us according to his mercy and his
great kindness. He said: They are indeed my people, children who
are not disloyal; So he became their savior in their every
affliction. It was not a messenger or an angel, but he himself who
saved them. Because of his love and pity he redeemed them himself,
Lifting them and carrying them all the days of old. [ISA 63:7-9]

By his deceit he shall make some who were disloyal to the
covenant apostatize; but those who remain loyal to their God shall
take strong action. [DAN 11:32]

You shall return by the help of your God, if you remain loyal
and do right and always hope in your God. [HOSEA 12:7]

When they had brought them in and made them stand before the
Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you
strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you
have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this
man's blood upon us." But Peter and the apostles said in
reply, "We must obey God rather than men. The God of our
ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him
on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are
witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has
given to those who obey him." When they heard this, they
became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee
in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected
by all the people, stood up, ordered the men to be put outside for
a short time, and said to them, "Fellow Israelites, be
careful what you are about to do to these men. Some time ago,
Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important, and about four
hundred men joined him, but he was killed, and all those who were
loyal to him were disbanded and came to nothing. After him came
Judas the Galilean at the time of the census. He also drew people
after him, but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were
scattered. So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men,
and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human
origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will
not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting
against God." They were persuaded by him. [ACTS 5:27-39]

The following were the heads of their ancestral
houses: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and
Jahdiel - men who were warriors, famous men, and heads over their
ancestral houses. However, they offended the God of their fathers
by lusting after the gods of the natives of the land, whom God had
cleared out of their way. Therefore the God of Israel incited
against them the anger of Pul, king of Assyria, and of
Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, who deported the Reubenites, the
Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh and brought them to Halah,
Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, where they have remained
to this day. [1CHRON 5:24-26]

She got up, and they started to pray and beg
that deliverance might be theirs. He began with these words:
"Blessed are you, O God of our fathers; praised be your name
forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you
forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his
help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You
said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a
partner like himself.' Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife
of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down
your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a
happy old age." They said together, "Amen, amen," and went to bed for the night.
[Taken from TOBIT 8:5-9]

Observe, my son, your father's bidding, and
reject not your mother's teaching; Keep them fastened over your
heart always, put them around your neck; For the bidding is a
lamp, and the teaching a light, and a way to life are the reproofs
of discipline; To keep you from your neighbor's wife, from the
smooth tongue of the adulteress. Lust not in your heart after her
beauty, let her not captivate you with her glance! For the price
of a loose woman may be scarcely a loaf of bread, But if she is
married, she is a trap for your precious life. Can a man take fire
to his bosom, and his garments not burned? Or can a man walk on
live coals, and his feet not be scorched? So with him who goes in
to his neighbor's wife - none who touches her shall go unpunished.
[Taken from PROV 6:20-29]

They no longer safeguard either lives or pure
wedlock; but each either waylays and kills his neighbor, or
aggrieves him by adultery. And all is confusion-blood and murder,
theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury, disturbance of good men, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of
souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and
shamelessness. For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and
source and extremity of all evil. [Taken from WISDOM 14:24-27]

Avert your eyes from a comely woman; gaze not
upon the beauty of another's wife - Through woman's beauty many
perish, for lust for it burns like fire. [SIRACH 9:8]

Go not after your lusts, but keep your desires
in check. If you satisfy your lustful appetites they will make you
the sport of your enemies. Have no joy in the pleasures of a
moment which bring on poverty redoubled; Become not a glutton and
a winebibber with nothing in your purse. [SIRACH 18:30-33]

Like a eunuch lusting for intimacy with a maiden
is he who does right under compulsion. [SIRACH 20:3]

A brazen look allow me not; ward off passion
from my heart, Let not the lustful cravings of the flesh master
me, surrender me not to shameless desires. [SIRACH 23:5-6]

How can you say, "I am not defiled, I have
not gone after the Baals"? Consider your conduct in the
Valley, recall what you have done: A frenzied she-camel, coursing
near and far, breaking away toward the desert, snuffing the wind
in her ardor - who can restrain her lust? No beasts need tire
themselves seeking her; in her month they will meet her. Stop
wearing out your shoes and parching your throat! But you say,
"No use! no! I love these strangers, and after them I must
go." As the thief is shamed when caught, so shall the house
of Israel be shamed: They, their kings and their princes, their
priests and their prophets; They who say to a piece of wood,
"You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave me
birth." They turn to me their backs, not their faces; yet, in
their time of trouble they cry out, "Rise up and save
us!" [Taken from JER 2:23-27]

Why should I pardon you these things? Your sons
have forsaken me, they swear by gods that are not. I fed them, but
they committed adultery; to the harlot's house they throng.
Lustful stallions they are, each neighs after another's wife.
Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; On a
nation such as this shall I not take vengeance? [JER 5:7-9]

Thus the word of the LORD came to me: Son of
man, turn toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against
them: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD. Thus
says the Lord GOD (to the mountains and hills, the ravines and
valleys): See, I am bringing a sword against you, and I will
destroy your high places. Your altars shall be laid waste, your
incense stands shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain
ones before your idols; I will scatter their bones all around your
altars. In all your dwelling places cities shall be made desolate
and high places laid waste, so that your altars will be made
desolate and laid waste, your idols broken and removed, and your
incense stands smashed to bits. (The slain shall fall in your
midst, and you shall know that I am the LORD. I have warned you.)
When some of your people have escaped to other nations from the
sword, and have been scattered over the foreign lands, then those
who have escaped will remember me among the nations to which they
have been exiled, after I have broken their adulterous hearts that
turned away from me (and their eyes which lusted after idols).
They shall loathe themselves because of their evil deeds, all
their abominations. Then they shall know that it was not in vain
that I, the LORD, threatened to inflict this calamity upon them. [EZEK
6:1-10]

You played the harlot with the Egyptians, your
lustful neighbors, so many times that I was provoked to anger.
Therefore I stretched out my hand against you, I diminished your
allowance and delivered you over to the will of your enemies, the
Philistines, who revolted at your lewd conduct. You also played
the harlot with the Assyrians, because you were not satisfied; and
after playing the harlot with them, you were still not satisfied.
Again and again you played the harlot, now going to Chaldea, the
land of the traders; but despite this, you were still not
satisfied. How wild your lust! says the Lord GOD, that you did all
these things, acting like a shameless prostitute, building your
platform at every street corner and erecting your dais in every
public place! Yet you were unlike a prostitute, since you
disdained payment. The adulterous wife receives, instead of her
husband, payment. All harlots receive gifts. But you rather
bestowed your gifts on all your lovers, bribing them to come to
you from all sides for your harlotry. Thus in your harlotry you
were different from all other women. No one sought you out for
prostitution. Since you gave payment instead of receiving it, how
different you were! Therefore, harlot, hear the word of the LORD!
Thus says the Lord GOD: Because you poured out your lust and
revealed your nakedness in your harlotry with your lovers and
abominable idols, and because you sacrificed the life-blood of
your children to them, I will now gather together all your lovers
whom you tried to please, whether you loved them or loved them
not; I will gather them against you from all sides and expose you
naked for them to see. I will inflict on you the sentence of
adulteresses and murderesses; I will wreak fury and jealousy upon
you. [Taken from EZEK 16:26-38]

Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says
the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers? Will
you lust after their detestable idols? By offering your gifts, by
making your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves
with all your idols even to this day. Shall I let myself be
consulted by you, house of Israel? As I live! says the Lord GOD: I
swear I will not let myself be consulted by you. [EZEK 20:30-31]

Oholah was the name of the elder, and the name
of her sister was Oholibah. They became mine and bore sons and
daughters. (As for their names: Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem
is Oholibah.) Oholah became a harlot faithless to me; she lusted
after her lovers, the Assyrians, warriors dressed in purple,
governors and officers, all of them attractive young men, knights
mounted on horses. Thus she gave herself as a harlot to them, to
all the elite of the Assyrians, and she defiled herself with all
those for whom she lusted (with all their idols). She did not give
up the harlotry which she had begun in Egypt... Therefore I handed
her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she had lusted.
They exposed her nakedness, her sons and daughters they took away,
and herself they slew with the sword. Thus she became a byword for
women, for they punished her grievously. Though her sister
Oholibah saw all this, her lust was more depraved than her
sister's, and she outdid her in harlotry. She too lusted after the
Assyrians, governors and officers, warriors impeccably clothed,
knights mounted on horses, all of them attractive young men. I saw
that she had defiled herself. Both had gone down the same path,
yet she went further in her harlotry. When she saw men drawn on
the wall, the images of Chaldeans drawn with vermilion, with
sashes girded about their waists, flowing turbans on their heads,
all looking like chariot warriors, the portraits of Babylonians,
natives of Chaldea, she lusted for them; no sooner had she set
eyes on them than she sent messengers to them in Chaldea. Then the
Babylonians came to her, to the love couch, and defiled her with
their intercourse. As soon as she was defiled by them, she became
disgusted with them. Her harlotry was discovered and her shame was
revealed, and I became disgusted with her as I had become
disgusted with her sister. But she played the harlot all the more,
recalling the days of her girlhood, when she had been a harlot in
the land of Egypt. She lusted for the lechers of Egypt... Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: I will
now stir up your lovers against you, those with whom you are
disgusted, and I will bring them against you from every side: the
men of Babylon and all of Chaldea, Pekod, Shoa and Koa, along with
all those of Assyria, attractive young men, all of them governors
and officers, charioteers and warriors, all of them horsemen. They
shall come against you from the north with chariots and wagons and
many peoples. Shields, bucklers, and helmets they shall array
against you everywhere. [Taken from EZEK 23:4-20,22-24]

That year, two elders of the people were
appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come
out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as
judges." These men, to whom all brought their cases,
frequented the house of Joakim. When the people left at noon,
Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk. When the
old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust
for her. They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow
their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just
judgments. Though both were enamored of her, they did not tell
each other their trouble, for they were ashamed to reveal their
lustful desire to have her. Day by day they watched eagerly for
her. One day they said to each other, "Let us be off for
home, it is time for lunch." So they went out and parted; but
both turned back, and when they met again, they asked each other
the reason. They admitted their lust, and then they agreed to look
for an occasion when they could meet her alone. [DAN 13:5-14]

Putting him to one side, he ordered the other
one to be brought. "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah,"
Daniel said to him, "beauty has seduced you, lust has
subverted your conscience. This is how you acted with the
daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a
daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then,
tell me under what tree you surprised them together."
"Under an oak," he said. "Your fine lie has cost
you also your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God
waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you
both." The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves
those that hope in him. They rose up against the two elders, for
by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According
to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had
plotted to impose on their neighbor [Taken from DAN 13:56-61]

[Jesus said,] "You have heard that it was
said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you, everyone
who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with
her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out
and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your
members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if
your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your
whole body go into Gehenna." [Taken from MT 5:27-30]

The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from
heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress
the truth by their wickedness. For what can be known about God is
evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since
the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal
power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived
in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for
although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or
give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and
their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise,
they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for
the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of
four-legged animals or of snakes. Therefore, God handed them over
to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual
degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a
lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the
creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Therefore, God handed them
over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural
relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural
relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males
did shameful things with males and thus received in their own
persons the due penalty for their perversity. And since they did
not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their
undiscerning mind to do what is improper. They are filled with
every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy,
murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and
scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty,
boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward
their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice
such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval
to those who practice them. [ROM 1:18-32]

This is the will of God, your holiness: that you
refrain from immorality, that each of you know how to acquire a
wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion as
do the Gentiles who do not know God; not to take advantage of or
exploit a brother in this matter, for the Lord is an avenger in all
these things, as we told you before and solemnly affirmed. For God
did not call us to impurity but to holiness. Therefore, whoever
disregards this, disregards not a human being but God, who (also)
gives his holy Spirit to you. [1THES 4:3-8]

Do not love the world or the things of the
world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him. For all that is in the world, sensual lust, enticement for
the eyes, and a pretentious life, is not from the Father but is
from the world. Yet the world and its enticement are passing away.
But whoever does the will of God remains forever. [1JN 2:15-17]

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